For release: September 10, 2009
Contact: Jim Whittington (541) 618-2220
Volunteers sought for
National Public Lands Day 2009
Medford – The Medford District, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is looking for
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volunteers to participate in the 16 annual National Public Lands Day. In what has
become the largest volunteer hands-on effort of its kind in the country, participants will
come together to lend a hand to the very lands they use to hike, bike, climb, fish, swim,
explore, picnic, or just plain relax.
Individuals, families, and community groups of all ages are encouraged to come together
to give something back to their public lands. T-shirts, lunches, and environmental
education activities will be provided for the volunteers at each of the project sites. All
tools, safety equipment, and materials needed for the projects will be furnished by the
BLM.
Volunteers at Federal sites will not only receive free admission on the day of the event,
but also a coupon to return for a “fee-free” day any time in the next year at any site
managed by the BLM, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Volunteers range from Girl Scouts and senior citizens to corporate executives and
Members of Congress -- they all have one thing in common: enjoyment and appreciation
for our public lands.
The Medford District Office will be sponsoring two National Public Lands Day
activities:
Upper Table Rock
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Volunteers of all ages, in partnership with BLM, are invited to roll up their sleeves
and spend the day sprucing up Upper Table Rock. Projects include painting,
improving the trail, and pulling noxious weeds.
Tools and refreshments will be provided. Everyone is asked to bring water, gloves,
and sunscreen, and be able to hike through steep terrain. Due to safety concerns and
the presence of poison oak, volunteers are asked to wear long pants, long sleeve
shirts, and boots. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Upper Table Rock
trailhead, just north of TouVelle State Park.
Contact: Trish Lindaman, BLM, at (541) 618-2266
Lake Selmac
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Bureau of Land Management and Josephine County Parks are partnering to
"spruce up" this popular recreation site. Projects include trail maintenance, noxious
weed removal; campground and picnic area improvements; and litter pick up.
Pacifica’s Mobile Nature & Horticulture Center, The Caterpillar, will be on site
during the volunteer appreciation luncheon. The walk through "discovery room"
offers hands-on nature activities for all ages.
Contact: Barbara Zurhellen, BLM, at (541) 471-6651
Please visit www.publiclandsday.com or www.blm.gov/or for complete information
on National Public Lands Day events across Oregon.
The BLM manages more land – 256 million surface acres – than any other Federal agency. This land, known as
the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western States, including Alaska. The Bureau,
with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the
nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use
and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as
outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural,
historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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